Apple Seeds First Betas of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 to Developers With Anti-Tracking Requirement

Apple today seeded the first betas of new iOS and iPadOS 14.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the iOS 14.4 update with bug fixes and feature updates.

14
iOS and iPadOS 14.5 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.

iOS 14.5 is the update where Apple will begin enforcing its App Tracking Transparency privacy feature, which will require app developers to ask for and receive a user's permission to access their random advertising identifier (known as the IDFA) to track user activity across apps and websites.

app tracking transparency prompt ios 14
Going forward, when an app wants to access the IDFA, users will see a prompt with options to "Allow Tracking" or "Ask App Not to Track." These features have already been implemented in iOS 14 and they are available to developers, but with iOS 14.5, they will be required rather than voluntary.

Selecting "Ask App Not to Track" will prevent the app's developer from accessing the user's IDFA, and developers will also have to respect the user's tracking preference and refrain from using other methods to track users. Disobeying this rule could cause an app to face removal from the App Store. Tracking preferences can be managed by going to Settings > Privacy > Tracking.

app tracking settings ios 14
There's no word yet on what else might be included in the iOS 14.5 update, but it likely focuses on performance improvements and bug fixes for issues that weren't able to be addressed in the iOS 14.4 release. When we've downloaded the update and found what's new, we'll add an update to this article.

Apple has said iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 will be released to the public in the early spring.

Related Forum: iOS 14

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26 Home Feature

Apple Gives Final Warning to Home App Users

Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching. In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...

Top Rated Comments

thadoggfather Avatar
65 months ago
Doesn't it beg the question... why we are only now getting anti-tracking features in the year 2021?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Smoovejayy Avatar
65 months ago
You don’t see other companies implementing it...
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BGPL Avatar
65 months ago
A simple Allow or Not Allow... wish the cookie tracking requirement on web browsers was this easy.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobmans Avatar
65 months ago
There should be an option in iPhone settings that just auto denies all apps the permission to track me.

edit: I'm stupid, apparently turning off "Allow app to request to track" automatically denies all tracking requests, which is exactly what I need. Apple could've made that a little more clear, had to click read more and scroll through a wall of text to figure out that turning it off actually auto denies.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
honghai2196 Avatar
65 months ago

There should be an option in iPhone settings that just auto denies all apps the permission to track me.
You just switch OFF "Allow App to Request to Track" option and it will automatically deny all app tracking requests
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
65 months ago
Good. Facebook can go pound sand.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)